Yotam Ottolenghi's recipes for carrot and mung bean salad, plus red lentil soup with fried tofu and chilli oil

Carrot and mung bean salad (V)

Forget mung beans' reputation as healthy yet bland – used right, they soak up loads of flavour. Serves four.

140g dried green mung beans
60ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp salt
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm batons
½ tsp sugar
20g coriander, chopped
Grated zest of 1 lemon
140g feta, broken into chunks

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add the beans and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until they are cooked but still retain a bite. Drain, shake well and transfer to a large bowl. About three minutes before the beans are done, heat two tablespoons of oil in a small frying pan and add the seeds. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, until they start to pop – about three minutes – then pour, hot oil and all, over the beans, along with the vinegar, garlic, chilli and half a teaspoon of salt.

While the beans are cooking, lay the carrots in a pan large enough for them to form a shallow layer on the bottom. Pour over about 150ml water – the carrots should be nearly submerged – plus two tablespoons of oil and half a teaspoon each of sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and keep on a high heat for eight minutes, by which time the water should have evaporated and the carrots become slightly caramelised but still crunchy. Drain some liquid, if needed.

Add the carrots to the bean bowl, along with the coriander, and stir gently. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl, sprinkle over lemon zest, dot with feta and drizzle with olive oil.

Red lentil soup with fried tofu and chilli oil (V)

Serves four.

About 250ml sunflower oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
20g chopped fresh ginger
¾ tsp each ground cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom and coriander
400ml coconut milk
250g red lentils
Shaved skin of ½ lemon, plus 80ml lemon juice
Salt and white pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
¾ tsp pul biber (Turkish chilli flakes), or normal chilli flakes with a pinch of sweet paprika
50g corn flour
220 firm tofu, cut into 3cm dice
3 tbsp freshly chopped coriander

Heat two tablespoons of sunflower oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and on medium-low heat sweat for eight minutes until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and ground spices, and cook, stirring, for eight minutes. Add 900ml water, the coconut milk, lentils and lemon skin (not the juice). Bring to a boil, then simmer until the lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove the lemon skin, add one and a quarter teaspoons of salt and some white pepper, and blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt, if you like.

Pour another two tablespoons of oil into a small saucepan and heat. Add the cumin seeds and chilli flakes, and cook on low heat for a minute. Tip out into a heatproof bowl.

Wipe clean the saucepan and pour in enough oil to come 2cm up the sides. While the oil is heating up, mix the corn flour with a quarter-teaspoon of salt and some white pepper. Toss the tofu in the corn flour, shake off any excess and fry in batches until golden, about five minutes (the oil must be just hot enough gently to fry the tofu). Drain on kitchen towel and set aside somewhere warm.

To serve, heat up the soup, stir in the lemon juice and divide between four bowls. Top each with some fried tofu and a drizzle of the cumin and chilli oil, and finish with a sprinkling of coriander.